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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. O. OAKS, OF ANTRIM, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODELLCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FORK-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,021, dated March25, 1890.

Application filed November 30, 1339- Serial No. 332,107. (No model.)

To all whom-it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. C. OAKS, of Antrim, county ofHillsborough, State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement inCarving-Forks, of which the following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figureson the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a carving-fork with animproved guard which may be cheaply made and easily cleaned.

In accordance with this invention the guard is pivoted to the shank ofthe fork and has a heel or seat which bears upon the shank of the forkto limit its movement in one direction, while the outer end of theguard, striking the tine portion of the fork, limits its movement in theopposite direction. The guard is provided with a bar, which is locatedbetween the pivot of the guard and the crown or bridge which constitutesthe heel of the fork, the said bar lying under the free end of a flatspring secured at one end to the shank of the fork, the said springexerting but little pressure on the bar when the guard is in one or itsother extreme position, as at such time the bar is at one or the otherside of the deadcenter, but exerting greater pressure when the guard isat an intermediate point, as at such time the bar raises the spring. Thebar upon which the flat spring bears may serve as a limiting-stop bystriking against the shank of the fork in lieu of the employment of aheel on the guard.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a carvingfork having a guard made inaccordance with this invention, and Fig. 2 a front view of the guardremoved.

The handle a, shank b, and tines c are and may be of any suitableconstruction. The

guard is composed of the arms 2 3 4, the latter arms 3 4 astriding theshank b. A pin 5, passed through the arms 3 4 and the shank 1), servesas a pivot-pin for the guard. The bridge, (marked (1,) or that portionby which the arms 3 4 are joined, constitutes a heel or seat, which,when the guard is in vertical or the arm 2, striking the tine portion 0,limits the movement of the guard in the opposite direction. At a pointbetween the pivot 5 of the guard and the bridge is a bar 6, itconnecting the arms 3 4 and beingparallel with the pivot-pin 5. Theshank b has attached to it one end of a flat spring 6, and the free endof the said spring bears on the said bar 6 and slides freely thereon.When the guard is in one of its extreme positions, (see full lines, Fig.1,) the bar 6 is at one side of the dead-center, and as the guard isturned into its other extreme position (see dotted lines) the bar 6lifts the spring 6 as it passes the dead-center and allows the spring toagain fall as the bar 6 passes to the opposite side of the center 5. Thebar 6 may be made to strike the shank b when the guard is in itsdotted-line position, and thus constitute a limiting-stop, if desired,in lieu of the heel described. By this construction the guard may becheaply manufactured, and the parts are left so that they may be readilycleansed.

I claim- A carving-fork and a guard having arms 3 4 to straddle theshank of the fork and a forwardly-extended arm 2, the pivot-pin 5 forthe guard passed through the shank and arms 3 4, and the bar 6, locatedbetween the pivotpin 5 and the crown or bridge (1 of the guard andparallel to the pin 5, combined with the fiat spring e, connected at oneend to the shank and extended between the bridge and bar 6 to bear at ornear its other end on the said bar 6 and free to slide thereon, thebridge d resting on the shank and limiting the movement of the guard inits vertical position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. C. OAKS. Witnesses:

' H. A. HURLIN,

MARY J. ABBOTT.

